RWC: New Zealand - Japan (16-09-2011)

[Darwin]

Very close to a full strength team, with the obvious exception of Andy Ellis at halfback. It will be interesting to see how Ellis goes - he had a great Super Rugby season, but he's always struggled to step up to the next level. Surprisingly he's actually been quite handy for the AB's this year - he's still the third choice halfback, but he does get a big chance to show what he has got.

Good to see such a strong team named; this will allow them to build up some combinations before they face France next week. I'm a bit disappointed that Anthony Boric isn't included in the team, as if he gets back to full fitness he is a potential starter in my opinion. Slightly surprised to see Thomson straight back into the starting lineup, as I expected him to be eased back from the bench. It seems as though Kahui's strong performance last week has confirmed him a spot on the wing, and I think Muliaina is being given one final chance to show what he's got. He's going to have a to have a huge game if he's going to get the start over Israel Dagg vs France.

 

[Dizzy]

thanks darwin .. I dislike Ellis a bunch, he never should have been picked

 

[SelimNiai]

What brave man/ total loony put 20 on Japan by -7?

 

[james5000]

All Blacks team named: Mils Muliaina, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Richard Kahui, Dan Carter, Andy Ellis, Adam Thomson, Richie McCaw (capt), Jerome Kaino, Sam Whitelock, Brad Thorn, Owen Franks, Keven Mealamu, Tony Woodcock. Reserves: Andrew Hore, John Afoa, Ali Williams, Victor Vito, Piri Weepu, Colin Slade, Sonny Bill Williams. Very close to a full strength team, with the obvious exception of Andy Ellis at halfback.

For once the coaches have proved me wrong lol.
Pretty Happy with that team, both as a supporter and a fantasy coach.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Hmmm when is Boric going to get game time?

 

[Sneaki]

Slightly surprised they didn't give Guildford another chance in this test, though I'm not exactly disappointed. It seems that he's basically the fourth choice winger now behind Jane, Kahui and Toeava so he might not get another chance. They could play him against Canada I suppose but I wouldn't have thought they'd want to deviate too far from their strongest XV ahead of the quarter-final.

Aside from Ellis, Thomson and maybe Muliaina this is probably our best XV at the moment, hopefully the scrum is stronger this week (against weaker opposition perhaps, but it's still important) and they play well throughout the entire 80 minutes. I'll be taking a nine hour bus ride from Wellington to Hamilton to see this game live, so it better be worth it!

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

All Blacks team announced and added to the thread start

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Very strong team!

 

[markshaw]

Im predicting a bigger score then the Tonga match. Love the Japanese though. I always support them against the pacific teams

 

[Darwin]

Carter has been ruled out with a back injury - Colin Slade comes into the starting lineup, with Jimmy Cowan moving onto the bench.

Japan side named -10 changes from their last match.

JAPAN:
Taihei Ueda, Takehisa Usuzuki, Koji Taira, Yuta Imamura, Hirotoki Onozawa, Murray Williams, Atsushi Hiwasa, Takashi Kikutani(c), Michael Leitch, Itaru Taniguchi, Toshizumi Kitagawa, Hitoshi Ono, Nozomu Fujita, Yusuke Aoki, Naoki Kawamata. Reserves: Hiroki Yuhara, Kensuke Hatakeyama, Yuji Kitagawa, Sione Talikavili Vatuvei, Tomoki Yoshida, Shaun Webb, Alisi Tupuailai.

 

[Icemn]

i just heard on a SA radio sstation that carter is out injured :? & weepu is flyhalf :?

 

[blaise]

i just heard on a SA radio sstation that carter is out injured :? & weepu is flyhalf :?

Slade starts, Weepu is flyhalf cover and Cowan comes in on the bench (from what I saw on the news).

Carter has minor back pain and should be back next week.

 

[Larksea]

It's a strong team, what you could call a full strength team just missing Read (injured), carter (Injured) and Cowan or Weepu for Elis

I hope this doesn't mean Elis is pressing for inclusion in the top side...

Kahui swaps wings to make way for jane who needs a big game to make sure of future selection.

I'd rather see Dagg in the 22 jersey and I would have liked to see Boric involved. The fact he's not been used may mean we wont see him unless there is an injury which I think is a real shame. Boric and Thorn make a great Combination, I think they should be the AB's starting combo.

Other than that it's good, and from now on I guess we can expect to see the #1 side every week, really it's not much of a chance from the last game.

The best thing is that Japan are a much better team than they were in 1995, So are Canada. So these games will be much better/tougher games for the All Blacks than their rubbish pool games in 2007 which were less use than a good training run.

 

[NJR1]

Would love Japan to pull off a win... would be fantastic, Carter out injured, anything can happen.

 

[markshaw]

Would love Japan to pull off a win... would be fantastic, Carter out injured, anything can happen.

Seriously? I dont think losing carter is gonna change Japans chances of a win haha

 

[dangandan]

Seriously? I dont think losing carter is gonna change Japans chances of a win haha

All Slade needs to do is make sure his pass makes contact with the backs outside him and Japan won't have a chance.

 

[Larksea]

all due respect to Japan but All Blacks would win if they took carter out of the starting 15 and didn't replace him and played with 14 players for the 80min.

either way it wont be a 100 point thrashing, kinda hope more like 60 points. But more importantly that the AB's don't let japan in and the combinations work well and NO INJURIES.

Already some big names have gone down this WC, hate to see any big name AB's get injured out of the WC playing against Japan.

I bet if it happens people will demand a reason for not playing a 2nd string side against Japan lol.

 

[Dizzy]

Mils, McCaw and Dagg have been forced out by injury, more soon.........

 

[Larksea]

Mils, McCaw and Dagg have been forced out by injury, more soon.........

just saw it pop up on stuff.co.nz

my eyes went as wide as plates! Hope none are serious...

 

[Dizzy]

what??..

I just heard by ear just now, didn't see it on stuff.